Fring Brings 3G Movie Calls to iPhone four — Are Networks Ready?

by Kevin C. Tofel Jul 9, two thousand ten – 8:53 AM CDT

Fring has updated its voice-over-IP client, bringing support for the front-facing camera on Apple’s iPhone four (s aapl). Unlike the handset’s native FaceTime client, which is restricted to movie calls over Wi-Fi and only to other iPhone four devices, the fresh Fring client supports movie calls over 3G and calls to non-Apple devices such as those running Android (s goog) and Symbian S60 (s nok). With widespread platform support and 1.7 million iPhone 4s sold in the very first three days of availability, Fring’s software is rapid opening up the floodgates for mainstream movie over cellular wireless.

But is AT&T’s (s t) network ready for 3G movie calling on iPhone Four? Sure, Apple’s newest handset is sold outside of the U.S., but the U.S. (and thus the audience potentially affected by AT&T’s network) is significant. When Apple debuted FaceTime movie calling on the iPhone Four, Steve Jobs said that Apple would be working with carriers to support the service over 3G in the future. There could be technical reasons for such a statement such as the need to figure out how to transfer calls inbetween Wi-Fi and 3G without having to drape up, for example, but there’s also a question of network capability as well.

Russ Shaw, VP of Skype Mobile, which provides a similar VoIP service presently without mobile movie support, recently told Om that it didn’t want to release any product that would disappoint users. With the user practice very reliant upon the 3G network, Shaw’s caution is warranted, especially went it comes to movie, which requires more bandwidth than voice alone. And given how a 3G network offers varying speeds due to signal, location, the number of people wirelessly connected to a tower and backhaul in use at the time, movie calling over Wi-Fi will typically suggest a more positive practice.

Unluckily, carriers had better get ready for an uptick in video-calling and movie transfer in general. A latest Pew report indicates a near-doubling of consumers recording mobile movie in the past year. Capturing and uploading such movie is just a begin — once the user-base of clients like Fring, Skype and FaceTime reach critical mass, handset owners could be flooding mobile pipes with movie calls. Indeed, our own GigaOM Pro research report on movie calling (subscription required) estimates that the mobile movie talk market will have more than one hundred forty three million customers by 2015. Let’s hope the carriers fulfill their planned 4G upgrades and embrace high-quality movie calling on the quicker, fresh networks.

Gigaom, Fring Brings 3G Movie Calls to iPhone four – Are Networks Ready?

Fring Brings 3G Movie Calls to iPhone four — Are Networks Ready?

by Kevin C. Tofel Jul 9, two thousand ten – 8:53 AM CDT

Fring has updated its voice-over-IP client, bringing support for the front-facing camera on Apple’s iPhone four (s aapl). Unlike the handset’s native FaceTime client, which is restricted to movie calls over Wi-Fi and only to other iPhone four devices, the fresh Fring client supports movie calls over 3G and calls to non-Apple devices such as those running Android (s goog) and Symbian S60 (s nok). With widespread platform support and 1.7 million iPhone 4s sold in the very first three days of availability, Fring’s software is prompt opening up the floodgates for mainstream movie over cellular wireless.

But is AT&T’s (s t) network ready for 3G movie calling on iPhone Four? Sure, Apple’s newest handset is sold outside of the U.S., but the U.S. (and thus the audience potentially affected by AT&T’s network) is significant. When Apple debuted FaceTime movie calling on the iPhone Four, Steve Jobs said that Apple would be working with carriers to support the service over 3G in the future. There could be technical reasons for such a statement such as the need to figure out how to transfer calls inbetween Wi-Fi and 3G without having to string up up, for example, but there’s also a question of network capability as well.

Russ Shaw, VP of Skype Mobile, which provides a similar VoIP service presently without mobile movie support, recently told Om that it didn’t want to release any product that would disappoint users. With the user practice very reliant upon the 3G network, Shaw’s caution is warranted, especially went it comes to movie, which requires more bandwidth than voice alone. And given how a 3G network offers varying speeds due to signal, location, the number of people wirelessly connected to a tower and backhaul in use at the time, movie calling over Wi-Fi will typically suggest a more positive practice.

Unluckily, carriers had better get ready for an uptick in video-calling and movie transfer in general. A latest Pew report indicates a near-doubling of consumers recording mobile movie in the past year. Capturing and uploading such movie is just a embark — once the user-base of clients like Fring, Skype and FaceTime reach critical mass, handset owners could be flooding mobile pipes with movie calls. Indeed, our own GigaOM Pro research report on movie calling (subscription required) estimates that the mobile movie talk market will have more than one hundred forty three million customers by 2015. Let’s hope the carriers fulfill their planned 4G upgrades and embrace high-quality movie calling on the quicker, fresh networks.

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